The Ministry of Education, Malaysia in collaboration with the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) will organise the 3^rd High Officials Meeting on SEA-TVET under the theme “21^st Century TVET in Southeast Asia: Advancing towards Harmonisation and Internationalisation” on 23-25 May 2017 at the Swiss Garden Hotel and Residences, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

This meeting is a continuation from the 2^nd High Officials Meeting on SEA-TVET in Bali, Indonesia. The main focus of the meeting is to promote the quality of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in Southeast Asian identified at SEAMEO Strategic Dialogue of Education Ministers (SDEM) in Lao PDR, September 2014 and Chiang Mai Joint Statement on Harmonisation and Internationalisation of TVET in Southeast Asia.

1. Background:

   Since the launch of ASEAN integration in 2015, all Southeast Asian countries have positioned Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in the mainstream of education systems and setting it as a priority in their education agenda in view of the fact that this type of education plays an important role in the socio-economic development of a nation (Paryono 2013). In addition, TVET has been identified as one of the seven priority areas in education in Southeast Asia, which were agreed at the Strategic Dialogue of Education Ministers (SDEM) meeting in September 2014.

   In response to the needs of the region, the 1st High Officials Meeting (HOM) on SEA-TVET was hosted by the Office of the Vocational Education Commission, Ministry of Education Thailand in August 2015 in Thailand. This was held under the theme: “Working Together towards Harmonisation and Internationalisation of TVET in Southeast Asia”. The “Chiang Mai Joint Statement on Harmonisation and Internationalisation of TVET in Southeast Asia” was officially announced as the regional policy directions that emerged from the TVET High Officials Round Table Meeting.

   Since 2015, various new national and regional initiatives in TVET have been created and co-developed among the Southeast Asian countries, and Development Agencies to improve the quality of TVET, promote partnerships among TVET institutions, strengthen involvement of industries, leverage capacity of TVET personnel, harmonise TVET curriculum among participating countries, and promote the mobility of skilled workers, teachers and students. Various activities have been organised at all levels of TVET personnel such as policy makers, TVET school/college leaders, researchers, teachers and students.

   In May 2016, the 2^nd High Officials Meeting on SEA-TVET under the theme “Strengthening Efforts towards Harmonisation and internationalisation of TVET in Southeast Asia” was hosted by the Ministry of Education and Culture. The meeting aimed to review the implementation of SEA-TVET programme during 2015/2016 and to further determine other regional strategies to accelerate partnership among TVET institutions and implementation of harmonisation and mobility, as well as to provide other regional recommendations to improve the quality of TVET in the Southeast Asian region.

   At the 2^nd High Officials Meeting on SEA-TVET, the Ministry of Education of Malaysia declared the commitment to host the 3^rd High Officials Meeting on SEA-TVET in Malaysia in 2017.

   For the 3^rd High Officials Meeting on SEA-TVET, the programme aims to focus on the discussion and presentations that help the High Officials and policy makers to identify strategies and implementation mechanisms for advancing, harmonising and transforming TVET education to meet the 21^st Century’s demands of the Southeast Asian region.

2. Host Organisations:

   Government of Malaysia, and the Ministry of Education of Malaysia

3. Co-hosts:

   Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO)

   • SEAMEO Secretariat

   • SEAMEO Regional Centre for Vocational and Technical Education (SEAMEO VOCTECH)

4. Schedule and Venue:

   The meeting will be organised on 23-25 May 2017 at the Swiss Garden Hotel and Residences, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

5. Objectives of the 3rd HOM on SEA-TVET:

   1. To discuss the current situation of TVET collaboration and trends in TVET development in the Southeast Asian region

   2. To review the cooperation of SEA-TVET programme among the Southeast Asian countries in 2015-2017

   3. To determine and plan for the regional directions and strategies to promote the transformation, harmonisation and advancement of TVET in Southeast Asian countries to meet the needs of the 21^st Century

   4. To strengthen cooperation among the TVET departments among Southeast Asian countries, and institutions

6. Participants:

   The 3^rd High Officials Meeting on SEA-TVET is expected to bring together approximately 180 participants from the Southeast Asian Ministries of Education, related Ministries on Technical and Vocational Education and Training, and other related development agencies and partners. The participants will include as follows:

   1. Secretary Generals/Director Generals/Directors on TVET of Ministries of Education, Ministries of Labour and Training, Ministries of Science and Technology, Ministries of Higher Education and other related Ministries from the Southeast Asian countries.

      • Brunei Darussalam:
        Ministry of Education

      • Cambodia:
        Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports;
        Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training

      • Indonesia:
        Ministry of Education and Culture;
        Ministry of Research, Technology and Higher Education

      • Lao PDR:
        Ministry of Education and Sports

      • Malaysia:
        Ministry of Education;
        Ministry of Higher Education

      • Myanmar:
        Ministry of Education

      • Philippines:
        Department of Education;
        Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA)

      • Singapore:
        Ministry of Education

      • Thailand:
        Ministry of Education

      • Timor Leste:
        Ministry of Education

      • Vietnam:
        Ministry of Education and Training;
        Ministry of Labour, Invalid and Social Affairs (MOLISA)

   2. Representatives from partner countries such as Japan, China, Germany, and etc.

   3. Representatives of related Development Agencies and Industries such as SEAMEO, ASEAN Secretariat, GIZ, UNESCO, DAAD

   4. TVET policy makers and directors of TVET institutions and related Ministries from Malaysia

7. Sessions in the Programme:

   Day 1: 23 May 2017

   • Opening Ceremony

   • Country Presentations and Reports on SEA-TVET Cooperation in 2015-2017

   • Discussion on Advancement of Harmonisation and Mobility of TVET Teachers and Students

   • Presentations of TVET Regional Initiatives for Endorsement and Information by Regional Development Organisations.

     • Regional Initiatives for Endorsement and Discussion

       • TVET Quality Assurance Framework by UNESCO

       • Regional Initiative for TVET by ASEAN Secretariat (TBC)

       • TVET Teacher Competency Standard and Standard for In-company Trainer by SEAMEO VOCTECH/GIZ RECOTVET

       • Regional TVET Knowledge Platform by SEAMEO VOCTECH/GIZ RECOTVET

       • SEA-TVET MOOCS Programme by SEAMEO Secretariat

       • Cross-country Diploma Modeling Programme (Indonesia-Thailand Model) by SEAMEO Secretariat

       • Inclusive TVET Education by SEAMEO SEN (TBC)

     • Regional Initiatives for Information

       • Young SEA-TVET Future Farmers, by OVEC, Thailand

       • SEA-TVET Scholarships and Internship by SEAMEO Secretariat

       • Re-launching of SEA-TVET Consortium Website by SEAMEO Secretariat

   • Panel Presentations: Strategies for TVET Transformation and Advancement

   • Bilateral and Networking Meeting between Countries and Institutions

   
   

   Day 2: 24 May 2017

   • High Official Round Table Meeting

     • Development of a Regional Action Plan and Policy Directions for TVET Advancement, Harmonisation, and Transformation for 3-5 Years

     • Syndication on TVET Development between ASEAN Secretariat and SEAMEO

   • Concurrent Sessions: (For TVET Directors and other participants)

     • Best Practices to Advance Quality at TVET Institutions

     • Best Practices to Advance Partnership at TVET Institutions

   • Sharing of Outcomes from the Bilateral and Networking Meeting during the 3^rd HOM on SEA-TVET

   • Synthesis and Ways Forward

   • Closing Ceremony and Declaration of Agreements from TVET High Officials

   Day 3: 25 May 2017

   • Study Visit to Kolej Vokasional Klang, Klang, Selangor (MoE TVET Institution) and Auto Prima Technology Training Sdn. Bhd. (Private TVET Institution)

8. Coordinators:

   Ministry of Education of Malaysia:
   Ms Zanariah Hj Ahmad
   Principal Assistant Director
   Technical and Vocational Education Division (TVED)
   Secretariat’s email address: 3homtvet.kl@gmail.com

   SEAMEO Secretariat:
   Ms Piyapa Su-angavatin
   Coordinator
   Email: tvet@seameo.org; secretariat@seameo.org; piyapa@seameo.org
   Tel: +662 391 0144 I Fax: +662 381 2587